Tybee Vacation Rentals Concierge and Tybee Information Site

Driving to Tybee and/or Savannah? If you’re driving for more than just a couple of hours you need to be aware of the safety rules.

Pack an emergency kit. Make sure you have a first-aid kit, a flashlight, work gloves, flares, duct tape, a blanket, non-perishable food and water. You never know–you may have a breakdown and be stuck until help arrives; there may be a fender bender and you’ll need first-aid; it may be dark and you’ll need a flashlight or blanket. These items often come in a kit that you can purchase; these would make a great holiday or birthday gift.

Stay focused. Just two seconds of inattention may nearly Continue Reading »

Tybee Island is a bicycle friendly place with marked paths and beautiful trails along the ocean, marshes and rivers. Several places rent bicycles and will deliver and pick-up for your convenience. But do you know the safety rules? Here are some guidelines to help you.

Always wear a helmet. A bad spill can mean an emergency room trip, or worse. Keep your head safe.

Obey all traffic laws and ride with the traffic. Ride on the right with the slowest traffic; at intersections, ride in the right-most lane that goes in your direction of travel.

Scan for traffic; use signals to change lanes or turn.

Be visible at all times. Wear clothing with neon strips at night so that you can be seen.

Be prepared for mechanical emergencies with tools and know-how. Inflate tires to rated pressure listed usually on the sidewall of the tire. Use a pressure gauge to insure proper pressure. Replace damaged tires. Make sure your brakes are in great shape. Have your bike’s cranks, chains and cassette checked periodically for adjustments.

Control your bike! Practice in safe environments such as large parking lots and dead-end streets.

Make sure you have plenty of water with you. Biking is exercise, and you need to replenish lost fluids.

The current thinking is to cut out all salt, but that may not be the best advice. In the summer time you get hot, sweat drips down your body and with that sweat goes the sodium (another name for salt)–some 50 mg to 100 mg–which affects how your body functions. Without enough sodium, you can feel groggy, dizzy and weak, so it is essential you keep your sodium at safe levels.

Sip water throughout the day to keep hydrated, especially while exercising. The salt and water need to stay in balance, and sipping the water keeps the salt at safe levels.

Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, unsalted crackers or low-fat yogurt to keep your sodium balance. Many foods have the salt you need in them. Avoid processed foods which can contain too much salt.

If you feel dizzy or weak, you may be dehydrated. Move to a cool place and drink fruit juice, vegetable juice with no salt added, or drinks containing electrolytes such as Gatorade. If your symptoms feels severe, get help immediately.

Recently, I ran across some helpful information about keeping the bugs at bay. We already have a blog giving tips on dealing with pesky creatures. Click here for that information.    Bugs-How to Keep Them At Bay

Here is the additional material I discovered.

Take up to 100 mg of riboflavin (or B2) about an hour before heading outdoors. Though little research has been done on the subject, the vitamin may work by giving off an odor that’s unappealing to insects (but undetectable to humans).

Avoid going outdoors at dawn or dusk when mosquitoes are out in full force. Wear light-colored loose-fitting, long sleeved shirts and pants with tightly woven fabric and avoid using floral-scented lotions, lip products and shampoos (they taste good to bugs).

Insect repellents that contain the chemical ingredient DEET are the most effective (if you’re leery of putting them on your skin, spray it on your clothes instead). If you want to go natural, look for soybean oil on the labels of brands like Bite Blocker (available at Whole Foods Market).

Baby oil and iodine–that’s what we use to put on before we laid in the sun.  I shiver to think of it now, and I’m paying the price with, so far, 3 trips to the dermatologist for pre-cancer removals.

Thank goodness we are much more enlightened on the dangers of the sun, but what do you do if you like being out in it? Recently I found information in the SpryLiving Magazine debunking the myths and enlightening the truths. Here are the best.

“I can’t get burned if I’m sitting in the shade.”  

Escaping the sun under a tightly woven, dark colored umbrella away from reflective surfaces like water or sand can offer protection equal to 50 SPF, but if you’re on the beach, near the wet stuff, or even inside, Continue Reading »